Shutting our schools down and sending our children back home in a virtual environment is unacceptable.  It's proven that being present in a classroom is the best way for young minds to grow and be successful students.  School District of Pickens County and its board members do not reflect the desires of the majority of parents in this county.  In an executive session meeting today they chose to go to virtual learning starting next week.  The data that was the basis for this decision is shocking.  There’s a total of 16,373 students in the county with 163 total positive cases…0.99%.  There’s over 1,000 teachers with an unknown number of additional staff.  The total number of positive employee cases is 26…roughly 2% or less.  There is a total number of 634 students in quarantine.  The total number of employees in quarantine is 30.  Quarantine’s do not equate to positive tests, so why are they included in the statics??  

It should also be mentioned that State House Bill 704 signed on April 22, 2021 by Governor McMaster states “all schools should offer 5 day face-to-face instruction.”  Based on an interview with a district employee and a local news station, the board knowingly violated this bill signed by the governor.

Before 2020, people got sick, went to a doctor, stayed home, and got better.  It was normal life.  Now that the world is so scared of germs, it's keeping our children from being able to learn and grow and be able to reach their full potential.  The parents should have a choice of how their child receives their education.  Why not implement a waiver of liability for parents to sign for their student to remain in the classroom that releases the school/district from any legal liability?  Stand with us and tell this school district that we, the parents and guardians of these school age children, WANT OUR KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM!!!!